Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP),
members from Africa and from North America [HRC resolution 33/25]
Appointment to be made by the Human Rights Council at its 37th session
(26 February - 23 March 2018)
How to apply:
The entire application process consists of two parts: 1. online survey and 2. application form in Word format. Both parts and all sections of the application form need to be completed and received by the Secretariat before the expiration of the deadline.
First part: online survey (https://ohchr-survey.unog.ch/index.php/398422) is used to collect information for statistical purposes such as personal data (i.e. name, gender, nationality), contact details, mandate applying for and, if appropriate, nominating entity.
Second part: application form in Word can be downloaded from http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/HRC37.aspx by clicking on the mandate. It should be fully completed and saved in Word format and then submitted as an attachment by e-mail. Information provided in this form includes a motivation letter of maximum 600 words. The same name, gender and nationality should be used both in the online survey and in the Word application form. The application form should be completed in English only. It will be used as received to prepare the public list of candidates who applied for each vacancy and will also be posted as received on the OHCHR public website.
Once fully completed (including Section VII), the application form in Word should be submitted to (by e-mail). A maximum of up to three reference letters (optional) can be attached in Word or pdf format to the e-mail prior to the expiration of the deadline. For EMRIP candidates, preferably one of the three letters should be from an organization or entity representing indigenous peoples. No additional documents, such as CVs, resumes, or supplementary reference letters beyond the first three received will be accepted.
è Application deadline: 6 DECEMBER 2017 (12:00 noon GREENWICH MEAN TIME / gMT)
è No incomplete or late applications will be accepted.
è Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed at a later stage.
General description of the selection process is available at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Nominations.aspx
In case of technical difficulties, or if encountering problems with accessing or completing the forms, you may contact the Secretariat by e-mail at or fax at + 41 22 917 9008.
You will receive an acknowledgment e-mail when both parts of the application process, i.e. the data submitted through the online survey and the Word application form, have been received by e-mail.
Thank you for your interest in the work of the Human Rights Council.
I. PERSONAL DATA
1. Family (last) name: MONAGENG / 5. Year of birth: 19502. First (given) name: SANJI / 6. Place of birth: SEROWE
3. Other name, if any: MMASENONO / 7. Nationality (please indicate the nationality that will appear on the public list of candidates): BOTSWANA
4. Gender: FEMALE / 8. Any other nationality: NO
9. Indigenous origin: BOTSWANA
10. Please indicate for which sociocultural region you are applying (please tick a box): / Africa
North America
You should include in the motivation letter in Section III. why you are applying for the specific sociocultural region.
II. MANDATE - SPECIFIC COMPETENCE / QUALIFICATIONS / KNOWLEDGE
NOTE: Please describe why the candidate’s competence / qualifications / knowledge is relevant in relation to the specific mandate:
1. QUALIFICATIONS (200 words)
Relevant educational qualifications or equivalent professional experience in the field of human rights; good communication skills (i.e. orally and in writing) in one of the six official languages of the United Nations (i.e. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish.)
I hold a Bachelor of Laws degree which I obtained in 1987 from the University of Botswana. I have been a Magistrate and a Judge. I am presently a judge in the International Criminal Court, The Hague, in The Netherlands. From 2003 to 2009 I was appointed a Commissioner of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the premier body responsible for the promotion and protection of human and peoples' rights in Africa. Within the Commission is the Working Group on the rights of Indigenous Populations and Communities. I was involved in the promotion and protection activities of the Working Group throughout my service in the Commission. I was Rapporteur in the African landmark case – Centre for Minority Rights Development (Kenya) and Minority Rights Group (on behalf of the Endorois Welfare Council) v. Kenya, on the rights of indigenous populations and communities. I have been involved in women’s and children’s human rights issues throughout my professional life, both at national, regional and international levels.
I have solid knowledge of both written and spoken English, which is my working language and therefore hold the requisite communication skills. As a judge and a quasi-judicial officer, I have acquired excellent writing skills.
2. RELEVANT EXPERTISE (200 words)
Knowledge of international human rights instruments, norms and principles. (Please state how this was acquired.)
Knowledge of institutional mandates related to the United Nations or other international or regional organizations’ work in the area of human rights. (Please state how this was acquired.)
Proven work experience in the field of human rights. (Please state years of experience.)
I have worked with women’s and children’s human rights organizations in Botswana, for example Women and Law in Southern Africa and Emang Basadi Women’s organization. I have also worked with Women in Law and Development in Africa and the International Association of Women Judges based in Washington, among many other organizations. I am also a Commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists, Geneva.
My knowledge of institutional mandates was acquired mainly when I worked as a Commissioner of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The mandate of the Commission is to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights on the African continent. I have represented Botswana at the Commission on the Status of Women and have also participated in many seminars and conferences to do with human rights throughout my professional life. As a result of these activities, in 2012 I was awarded a Human Rights Award by the then African Human Rights Consortium in Botswana. I am also a recipient of the 2014 International Association of Women Judges Award, in recognition of my work in Human Rights. As a result of the above, I have a good knowledge of regional and international norms and principles.
3. ESTABLISHED COMPETENCE (200 words)
Nationally, regionally or internationally recognized competence related to human rights. (Please explain how such competence was acquired.)
At national level, I was an active member of Emang Basadi Women’s organisation and the Women and Law in Southern Africa. These are human rights organizations that spearheaded changes to many features of gender laws in Botswana. We were advocating for equality between men and women in issues such as inheritance and property. I was also involved in HIV/AIDS issues and the development of a draft policy on laws that impacted HIV/AIDS in Botswana. Children’s rights were a matter that I dealt with in issues such as maintenance and adoption cases as a Magistrate. In the course of my work I applied human rights standards, and this further sharpened my knowledge of human rights.
I was a member of many human rights based organizations regionally, for instance the Open Society Organization in Southern Africa which is rights based. We dealt with issues such as social justice, education, HIV/AIDS and the media.
Internationally I am an active member of the International Commission of Jurists and the International Association of Women Judges. Both these organizations are rights based. As a judge of the International Criminal Court I am obliged by the Statute to apply internationally recognized human rights standards in my judgements.
4. PUBLICATIONS OR PUBLIC STATEMENTS
Please list significant and relevant published books, articles, journals and reports that you have written or public statements, or pronouncements that you have made or events that you may have participated in relation to the mandate.
4.1 Enter three publications in relation to the mandate for which you are applying in the order of relevance:
1. Title of publication: 276/03 : Centre for Minority Rights Development (Kenya) and Minority Rights Group (on behalf of Endorois Welfare Council) / Kenya
Journal/Publisher: African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Date of publication: 25 November 2009
Web link, if available: http://www.achpr.org/files/sessions/46th/comunications/276.03/achpr46_276_03_eng.pdf
2. Title of publication:
Journal/Publisher:
Date of publication:
Web link, if available:
3. Title of publication:
Journal/Publisher:
Date of publication:
Web link, if available:
If more than three publications, kindly summarize (200 words):
Throughout the six years that I was a Commissioner and Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights I participated in many activities promoting and protecting the rights of indigenous populations and communities, and all rights that are provided for in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The Commission of which I was a part made many public statements and produced many publications. The Commission adopted resolutions and produced many Reports which were adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. As chairperson in 2008 I chaired and directed the deliberations of the Meeting organized by the Centre for Human Rights of the University of Pretoria to validate the outcome of the research conducted within the framework of the joint ILO/ACHPR Project on the Constitutional, Legislative and Administrative Provisions on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Communities in Africa. See the referenced link: http://www1.chr.up.ac.za/chr_old/indigenous/overview_report/ILO_overview_report_web.pdf
As a quasi-judicial body the Commission adjudicated hundreds of cases on human rights including on the Rights of Indigenous Populations and Communities which are published in the website of the Commission and I participated in all of them from 2003 to 2009. In some I was the Rapporteur.
4.2 Enter three public statements or pronouncements made or events that you may have participated in relation to the mandate for which you are applying in the order of relevance:
1. Platform/occasion/event on which public statement/pronouncement made:
Event organizer:
Date on which public statement/pronouncement made:
Web link, if available:
2. Platform/occasion/event on which public statement/pronouncement made:
Event organizer:
Date on which public statement/pronouncement made:
Web link, if available:
3. Platform/occasion/event on which public statement/pronouncement made:
Event organizer:
Date on which public statement/pronouncement made:
Web link, if available:
If more than three, kindly summarize (200 words): See point 4.1
5. flexibility/readiness and AVAILABILITY of time (200 words)
to perform effectively the functions of the mandate and to respond to its requirements, including participating in Human Rights Council (HRC) sessions in Geneva and General Assembly sessions in New York, travelling on special procedures visits, drafting reports and engaging with a variety of stakeholders. Kindly indicate whether the candidate can dedicate an estimated total of approximately three months per year to the work of a mandate.
Please note that the work of mandate holders is unpaid. Those appointed as mandate holders serve in their personal capacities. They are not United Nations staff members, they are not based in United Nations offices in Geneva or at another United Nations location, and they do not receive salary or other financial compensation, except for travel expenses and daily subsistence allowance of “experts on mission”.
My mandate as a Judge in the International Criminal Court comes to an end in March 2018. I will be moving back to my country of origin Botswana. This means that I will have ample time to discharge the mandate of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) effectively, and to respond to its requirements. I will have the flexibility and time to participate fully. I have no impediments in attending the Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva and the General Assembly sessions in New York. I will also have no impediments in travelling on special procedure visits and in drafting reports and also engaging with a variety of stakeholders. I will be able to dedicate approximately three months a year to the work of the EMRIP.
In the event that I am appointed I am ready to take on these responsibilities as soon as I am required to. I have no health or other issues that could affect the discharge of my responsibilities and as such feel confident that I will discharge the responsibilities without any impediments. I will be ready to take up the responsibilities shortly after the completion of my mandate in March 2018.
III. Motivation Letter (600 word limit, must be included below and not in a separate e-mail or as an attachment)
I am applying for the African region membership because I am a bonfide African. My track-record which spans more than twenty years as a judge, quasi-judicial officer and a human rights practitioner in diverse jurisdictions, and having handled diverse cases and situations, gives me the confidence that I would make significant contribution to the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP). In my role as a Judge and former Magistrate and Commissioner of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, I deal with collation of evidence, research, analysis and evaluation of evidence and decision making. I have dealt with, among others, criminal and constitutional cases. The cases and situations I deal with and have dealt with inevitably scrutinize some policies and laws of States and other entities, and this is in line with the responsibilities of the Expert Mechanism. I also wish to further contribute to issues that concern human rights and that need impartiality, strength of character and professionalism.
Between the years 2003 and 2009 I was a Commissioner of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, an organ of the African Union, and during my last two years its Chairperson. The Commission, which is based the Republic of the Gambia, is the premier African body that is mandated to promote and protect human and people’s rights on the African continent. Among the special mechanisms of the Commission is the Working Group on Indigenous Populations and Communities in Africa. Over the six years that I was a Commissioner, I was fully engaged in the protection and promotion of human rights in Africa, and in particular participated in promotion missions, organizing and attending various seminars on human rights of Indigenous Peoples and Communities. The Commission effectively offers technical and other advice to States and identified indigenous populations and communities. The Working Group also established a good working relationship with leading international organizations that offered capacity building and partnerships to the Commission and the Working Group.